State PUC decides against new probe of Nevada Power

Friday, May 3, 2002 | 10:17 a.m.

The state Public Utilities Commission has decided against investigating concerns from Nevada Power Co. officials about their ability to serve future customers.

But commission Chairman Donald Soderberg said Thursday that the issue could come up at future meetings.

Last month Nevada Power officials said they were no longer certain of their ability to serve future customers based on a decision from parent Sierra Pacific Resources to slash $125 million in capital spending this year. The belt tightening was announced after the PUC ruled on March 29 to give Nevada Power only $485 million of the $922 million it was seeking for energy used last year.

Company officials said they had no plans to cease future hookups. However, they also said they couldn't guarantee that future hookups wouldn't be affected by a decision to delay portions of the ongoing Centennial power line project. The Centennial project is designed to increase electricity transmission capacity in the Las Vegas Valley.

The commission had expressed concern over what it perceived to be negative rhetoric coming from Nevada Power officials. But PUC staff told the commission that Nevada Power has been cooperative in recent weeks.